Greg's Corner

Reshipping scam lands victim in jail

By Greg Collier

For some time, we’ve been warning our readers about the reshipping or repackaging scam, and how victims of the scam can run afoul of the law. But first, let’s explain how the scam works.

The reshipping scam is a type of fraud where scammers recruit individuals, often unwittingly, to receive and reship packages to a different location. The scammers use various tactics to convince people to participate in this scheme, such as fake job offers or work-from-home opportunities.

Scammers may post job ads or send emails offering individuals the chance to work from home. These offers often promise high salaries and flexible working hours. The job description often details how reshippers receive goods at their home address and act as a quality control agent.

The scammers provide instructions on how to repackage and forward the received items to another address, often located in a different country. They may claim that it’s part of a global shipping or distribution network, or that they represent a major retailer.

Unbeknownst to the reshipper, the items they receive and forward are often purchased using stolen credit card information or other fraudulent means. This helps the scammers cover their tracks.

Victims of the reshipping scam never receive any kind of reimbursement from their supposed employers.

The real danger of the reshipping scam is that even if the reshipper is unaware of being part of a scam, they can still be arrested for their involvement. One of the ways victims can find themselves in hot water is if they willingly falsify shipping documentation as directed by the scammers to bypass US customs.

A woman from Toledo, Ohio, was recently arrested for her alleged involvement in a reshipping scam, and she was unaware it was a scam at all. As expected, she applied to a work from home job listing. She was ‘hired’ immediately in an over the phone interview.

After a month of reshipping, Toledo police officers showed up at her door. It’s unclear what laws she is said to have specifically broken, but she was never paid by her supposed employer. She could have her name cleared and charges dropped later in the investigation, but she did have to post bail. Now, the victim is out of money when she was just trying to provide for her family.

It’s important for individuals to be cautious about unsolicited job offers, especially those that involve receiving and reshipping packages. Legitimate employers typically do not require employees to use their personal addresses for receiving and forwarding goods. If someone suspects they are involved in a reshipping scam, it’s crucial to cease any involvement immediately and report the incident to authorities.